Welcome to the blog of Rachel G. Hackenberg, a United Church of Christ pastor serving in Lancaster, PA (gracechurchlancaster.org). Check out Rachel's books, Writing to God and Writing to God: Kids' Edition, at paracletepress.com. For workshop and other info, visit rachelhackenberg.com.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Return of the Exile (Jeremiah 31:1-14)

"Love, why did you have to go away,leave us here all aloneto survive these crazy, crazy days?" (Michael Franti)

Love will come back to youlike a son returning home,like a ship coming in to harbor;And you will return to Love(although I suspect it will feellike you have traversed the greater distance).For in Love's absenceyou found Persistence and Hopeand your heart, though scarred, grew stronger.While Love was away,Chaos and Guardedness took its placebut you met yourself again --with the hard intimacy offlesh meeting gravelwhen the runner takes a fall.I know your cries from the groundseemed to go unheard,and the loneliness of dusting yourself offwas deeply bitter,But Grace found you there(even when you could not be comforted)because it was not Love's job to make life easy;it was Grace's task to see you through.Even so,Love has not abandoned you.Throw off your burdens and your mourning:open your eyes to the raw beauty of this wilderness,let a chuckle rise up,dance and sing with confidencethat Love will be your partner againand your exile will end with a new journey.